As the building industry experiences a long-awaited upswing, new neighborhoods are appearing throughout the region—and current trends are emerging right in our backyard. From outdoor living to indoor luxury and technology perks, today’s new home options might just
surprise you.
Perhaps you’ve looked at model homes but none have made you “fall in love.” It’s time to take another look. Builders in South Central Pennsylvania are now offering homes with features you might decide you can’t live without. Custom interiors, welcoming exteriors, expanded porches and more await your selection. In the new building process, even the design process can be fun—especially if you get a free iPad to explore your options, as one local builder has discovered.
“The iPad is a great communication tool between the builder and the home buyer,” says project engineer Mike Burkentine of Hanover’s Burkentine & Sons Builders (burkentineandsons.com), who came up with the idea of giving each customer an iPad. “Our customers can text us from the iPad, and they can link to a photo stream that our construction manager uses to stream photos showing the home’s progress in real time.” That, together with a dedicated email address and a Facebook page for every home that’s being built, helps busy home buyers keep track of what’s going on and make decisions quickly even if they can’t get out to the site. Especially helpful during the initial phase, the iPad lets home buyers share images of styles they like as the architect is working on the home’s design. “Google ‘pretty house’ from your spot on the couch,” offers Burkentine, “and bring the iPad to the planning meeting where we’ll throw your design preferences up on the big screen and talk about them.”
“The coolest feature,” he says, “is that we can tell the iPad to remind the customer when to perform routine maintenance once the home is finished.” It’s kind of like a car manual, loaded with everything from contracts to floor plans. But the builder programs it to flag tasks that need to be done over the life of the home, such as changing the air filter on the HVAC unit. The iPad even specifies the correct filter size for the home.
Working with another technology trend, Landmark Homes (ownalandmark.com) of Ephrata is helping home buyers set aside space for something many want to invest their resources in—media rooms. “Because we’re a semi-custom home builder,” says Steve Caparolla, vice-president of sales and marketing, “people can give more thought to how a home is laid out and dial that down a little closer to how they think they’re going to live in a home.” That can include dedicating a corner of a lower level for a home theater by limiting windows and installing special blinds and tiered seating.
What Homeowners Really Want
Another trend is usability, accompanied by a more neutral, modern look. Amenities that Landmark customers are requesting can involve wholesale room swaps, like placing laundry facilities upstairs and converting the original laundry room into a more practical mud room, with lockers for storage. Arched entryways, beverage coolers, wine cellars, and exterior stone accents are also popular. But Caparolla says one of the biggest trends he’s seeing is in the bathroom design.
“Quite a few more people are looking for different vanity tops beyond the typical cultured marbles,” he says. “They’re choosing granite or engineered products, which offer a more decorative look.” Caparolla adds that customers tend to opt for
more elaborate cabinetry as well, including floor-to-ceiling cabinets in multiple shades with pull-out drawers. And with larger bathrooms, most buyers are specifying a separate tub and shower space, often with a whirlpool-style tub.
It’s All in the Details
Burkentine has noticed a similar affinity among his customers for decorative elements, such as recessed lighting, brushed-nickel fixtures, hardwood foyers and colonial trim around the windows and doors, which his company has made standard. “Customers appreciate these extra details,” he says, adding that they’re getting requests for bath add-ons like rain showerheads, glass entry shower doors, interior stone accents and fireplaces.
Kitchen trends include raised-panel cabinetry, upscale stone countertops, and islands that look more like a nice piece of furniture than a built-in. Depending on the model and the builder, these items can up the cost but add enjoyment in a room where people spend a lot of their time.
Another decorative feature representing a strong trend is the tray, or inset, ceiling. So many customers requested these that Landmark decided to make them standard in some of its signature homes. These recessed areas in an otherwise flat plane add architectural interest and give the illusion of additional height while opening up design options.
“Some owners like an accent color inside the tray,” explains Caparolla, “and others like crown molding with a ledge for decorative items within the tray.” Alternate ceiling options include coffered ceilings, with their criss-cross pattern, which work well in an office or dining room.
Expanded Living
On the exterior, Landmark’s new designs are refreshingly different. Its Arts & Crafts-style models, for example, offer a welcoming, almost beachy feel, with shingle siding, juxtaposed peaks and pillared porches. The neotraditional style it employs in its 55+ Hometown Square community in Ephrata incorporates porches as usable living space. Other standard features for Landmark include a custom landscaping package and concrete patios, which open up opportunities for outdoor living.
With some neighborhoods offering zero lot lines, smaller yards for less maintenance, side courtyards and prominent front porches, outdoor enjoyment is maximized.
Burkentine’s contemporary Colonial-style homes encourage outdoor living with paver areas and covered porches, even in the back. “Everybody wants to have a place where they can hang out in the back,” notes Burkentine.
As you drive up to several of these communities, formal entrances offer a sense of arrival that invites exploration of the neighborhood. With the welcoming interior details, though, it just might take an exceptional weather day to tempt homeowners back outside. The good news is there are plenty of those headed our way.
New & Upcoming Neighborhoods
— Landmark Homes: Penn’s Crossing in Manheim Township (Lancaster County) Willow Creek in Hummelstown (Dauphin County) The Crossings at Sweetbriar in Lebanon (Lebanon County) — Burkentine & Sons: Cedar Ridge in New Oxford (Adams County) Stonecroft in Hanover (York County) Country Club Heights in Abbottstown (York County)
